When most people think of archaeology, they imagine digging through ancient ruins and searching for clues about the past. However, archaeology is not just limited to dusty old relics. Modern-day artifacts can also be just as informative and interesting. In this blog post, we will explore a few examples of artifacts and the types of artifacts. Also, we will discuss what they tell us about our world today. Continue reading!
1. What is Artifact? What Does Artifact Mean?
An artifact is something that a human or an animal leaves behind. It can be a physical object, like a tool or weapon, or evidence of human activity, like footprints or fire pits. Artifacts are important clues for archaeologists because they can help us learn about the people who lived in the past. For example, by studying examples of artifacts, archaeologists can learn what people ate, how they dressed, and what kinds of tools and weapons they used. (See What Dinosaur Has 500 Teeth?)
2. Is it Artifacts or Artefacts?
Artefact is the original British English spelling. The American English spelling artifact is a variant of it. Both spellings are correct, however, artefact is more commonly used in British English, and artifact is mostly used in American English. (See What does 4 score and 7 years ago mean?)
3. What are the 5 types of Artifacts?
The five types of artifacts are stone, ceramic, metal, glass, and bone. The examples of artifacts have a unique characteristic that allows archaeologists to identify them:
- Stone is the hardest and most durable material.
- Ceramics are made from fired clay and is breakable but can be painted or glazed.
- Metal is a malleable material that can be shaped into objects and rust over time.
- Glass is a hard material that can be transparent or translucent.
- Bone is organic and decomposes over time. Also, check out 3 types of Native American Shelters.
4. Is a Coin an Artifact?
Yes, a coin is an artifact because it is an object made by humans. It is not a natural object but something that people created. Coins have a long history, and they are interesting objects to study. Coins can be made of different materials, and they can be decorated with different designs. (See Who Invented Paper Money?)
5. Is a Painting an Artifact?
No, a painting is not listed in the examples of artifacts. An artifact is generally defined as something created by humans, often for a specific purpose. Artifacts can range from tools and machines to buildings and structures. On the other hand, a painting is a work of art meant to be enjoyed for its aesthetic value. (See What is a Theme in Art?)
6. What are the Most Famous Artifacts?
Here is a list of the most famous artifacts:
- The Dead Sea Scrolls,
- The Royal Library of Ashurbanipal,
- Tutankhamun’s Tomb,
- Pompeii,
- Peking Man,
- The Rosetta Stone,
- The Behistun Rock, and
- The Olduvai Gorge. (See All Types of Dinosaur Names and Pictures)
7. List Historical Artifacts Examples
There are many types of historical artifacts that can be found worldwide. Here is a list of historical artifacts:
- Coins: Coins are an important example of human innovation and are among the oldest human-made artifacts. Coins were first used in ancient China and Greece and later spread worldwide. Must read why are Dimes smaller than Pennies?
- Pottery: Pottery is one of the most common examples of artifacts from ancient cultures. Examples include vases, pots, and other containers used for storage or decoration.
- Clothing and jewelry: Clothing and jewelry are other types of artifacts that can provide insight into the past. Examples of clothing artifacts include shirts, pants, skirts, and other items of clothing worn by people in the past. Examples of jewelry artifacts include rings, necklaces, and other ornaments worn for personal adornment.
- Armor: Armor is given special attention by archaeologists since it can provide information about military history. Examples of armor artifacts include helmets, shields, and breastplates.
- Furniture: Furniture is an important part of any culture and can give us insight into the past. Furniture artifacts include chairs, tables, beds, Greek pottery, and Ming vases. (See Was Jesus Really a Carpenter?)
8. List Archaeological Artifacts Examples
Here are examples of artifacts that are archaeological:
- Tutankhamun’s Tomb: It took eight years to document and excavate the tomb of Tutankhamun.
- The Dead Sea Scrolls: The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of around 30,000 manuscripts discovered in caves near the Dead Sea.
- The Rosetta Stone: The Rosetta Stone is a granite slab with inscriptions in three scripts that helped scholars learn how to read hieroglyphics.
- The Terracotta Army: The Terracotta Army is a collection of around 8000 life-size statues of soldiers buried with the first emperor of China.
- Pompeii: Pompeii is an ancient city destroyed by a volcano in 79 AD. It was rediscovered in 1748 and has since been a popular tourist destination.
- The Great Pyramid of Giza: The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza pyramid complex. It was built for the pharaoh Khufu and is one of the Seven wonders of the World.
- Borobudur: Borobudur is a Buddhist temple in Indonesia built in the ninth century. It is considered the world’s largest Buddhist temple and one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
- The Colosseum: The Colosseum is an amphitheater in Rome built in the first century AD. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Rome. (See Why Rome is so famous?)
- The Parthenon: The Parthenon is a temple on the Acropolis of Athens that was built in the fifth century BC. It is one of the most iconic landmarks in Greece.
- The Lost City of Tenea: The Lost City of Tenea is an archaeological site in Greece, discovered in 2018. It is believed to be the remains of a city that Trojan War prisoners founded.
9. List Iconic Ancient Artifacts Examples
The ancient examples of artifacts are listed below:
- Prehistoric Stone Hand Axe: 2.6 Million years ago. Also, check out 7 facts about real Cavemen.
- Venus of Brassempouy: 25,000 years ago
- Perforated Baton with low relief Horse: 40,000 years ago
- Wolverine Pendant of Les Eyzies: 12,500 years ago
- Ain Sakhri Lovers: 11,000 years ago.
10. List Modern Artifacts Examples
- The Dropa Stones, the Rare Dropa Stones,
- The Relics Of London Hammer,
- The Saqqara Bird,
- The Shoe,
- Bell-Shaped Metal Vase,
- Modern Screw In Coal,
- 2000-year-old Battery,
- Ancient Earthquake Detector,
- The Piri Reis Map, and
- Antikythera Mechanism. (See What Kind of Information do you need?)
11. What are Examples of Personal Artifacts?
Personal artifacts are defined as objects worn or carried by an individual, and they can serve various purposes. Some examples of personal artifacts include clothing, jewelry, and other personal adornments, gear such as purses, wallets, and backpacks; and toilet articles such as brushes, combs, and toothpaste. For many people, these items can hold great sentimental value as well. For example, someone might keep a piece of jewelry passed down to them from a loved one or an article of clothing that reminds them of a special event in their life. (See What were some Negative Effects of the Industrial Revolution?)
12. What are Examples of Cultural Artifacts?
These are artifacts that uphold culture, including art, music, clothing, and paperwork. In essence, anything that can give clues about culture to someone observing it from the outside is considered an artifact. People who are not professional anthropologists can also learn a lot about a culture by looking at its artifacts. The examples of artifacts here include paintings, sculptures, sketches, pottery, etc. Often, these will represent the values and beliefs held by that culture. For instance, Western music tends to be very melody-focused, while Eastern music often emphasizes the role of instruments and rhythm. (See What is Pointillism Art?)
13. What are Agile Artifacts?
Agile artifacts are work items used to track and manage the work of a software development project. The most common agile artifacts are user stories, tasks, and product backlogs.
- User stories are high-level descriptions of what needs to be done to deliver value to the customer.
- Tasks are more detailed descriptions of how a particular user story will be implemented.
- Product backlogs list all user stories and tasks that need to be completed for a project to be considered finished. (Also read 8 Quinceañera History Facts)
